Kara Knappe is the Executive Assistant at the Fines and Fees Justice Center, where she provides high-level administrative support to the Executive Team.

Kara has a long history of supporting principals in nonprofits and startups, as well as working in households alongside private philanthropists. Immediately prior to starting her role at FFJC, she served as the Executive Assistant to the President at the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence and data science solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. There, she provided high-value strategic administrative and project management support. She also worked for several years as the assistant to the founder of SHEPHERD, a precision medicine company focused on rare cancers, and assisted the Executive Director of the SHEPHERD Foundation, where she contributed to strategy and program development, notably conceptualizing the Justice Lab Initiative and managed social media communications.

Kara looks forward to bringing her commitment to social justice and drawing from her diverse work experience to support and advance the mission of FFJC.